Miss Universe 1961

Miss Universe 1961
Marlene Schmidt
DateJuly 15, 1961
PresentersJohnny Carson
VenueMiami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, United States
BroadcasterCBS
Entrants48
Placements15
Debuts
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • Madagascar
  • Republic of China
  • Rhodesia
  • Scotland
  • United States Virgin Islands
  • Wales
Withdrawals
  • Costa Rica
  • Hong Kong
  • Jordan
  • New Zealand
  • Portugal
  • Suriname
  • Tunisia
Returns
  • Ceylon
  • Guatemala
  • Puerto Rico
  • Turkey
WinnerMarlene Schmidt
West Germany
CongenialityEleftheria Deloutsi Greece)
PhotogenicSharon Brown (United States)
← 1960
1962 →

Miss Universe 1961 was the tenth Miss Universe pageant, held at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida, United States on July 15, 1961.

At the end of the event, Linda Bement of the United States crowned Marlene Schmidt of West Germany as Miss Universe 1961. Schmidt was the first representative of Germany to win the contest.[1]

Contestants from forty-eight countries and territories competed in this year's pageant. The pageant was hosted by Johnny Carson.

  1. ^ "German engineer starting plush Miss Universe year". The Spokesman-Review. July 17, 1961. p. 1. Retrieved October 18, 2023 – via Google News Archive.